Team:KULeuven/Project/Synthetic Biology

From 2008.igem.org

Revision as of 09:34, 29 July 2008 by Nickvd (Talk | contribs)
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Result:

To have a dropdown for your own team copy over all of the content below. It might be needed to adjust a thing or two. Comments have been added throughout the code what must be changed.

Inspirational websites:

The dropdown has been created and developed by the KULeuven team.

<html>

<style type="text/css">
#content {z-index:4;}
#ddwrapper * {z-index:8 !important;}

div#ddwrapper {
	margin:0;
	padding:0;
	height:28px;
	width:945px;				/* change to adjust imperfections in width */
}
div#ddnav {
	margin:0 auto;				/* needed to center the dropdown */
	padding:0;
	top:5px;
	/* width: 965px */
	visibility:hidden;			/* dropdown is hidden until properly initalised by javascript */
}
div#ddtoggle {
	margin:0;
	position:fixed;
	right:2px;
	top:15px;
	height:10px;
	width:10px;
	z-index:100;
}

#ddnav ul {
	display:table-row;			/* works only for firefox, later adjusted by javascript for IE */
	margin:0 auto;
	padding:0;
}
#ddnav ul li {
	display:table-cell;			/* works only for firefox, later adjusted by javascript for IE */
	list-style:none;
	margin:0;
	padding:0 !important;
	border-right:1px solid #FFF;		/* creates illusion of spacing between tabs */
}
#ddnav ul li:last-child{border-right:none;}
#ddnav a{
	display:block;
	margin:0;
	padding:4px 14px;			/* play with dimensions for size of tabs */
	background-color:#075A90;		/* background color for tabs */
	color:#FFF !important;			/* font color for text in tabs */
	text-align:center;			/* aligning for text in tabs */
	text-decoration:none !important;
	font:bold 10pt Trebuchet MS;		/* font properties for text in tabs */
	outline:0;
}
#ddnav ul li a:hover {background-color:#99CCFF;}/* background color for tabs on mouseover */
#ddnav li a:active {outline:none;}		/* remove standard dotted border for links when clicked (IE) */
#ddnav li a:focus {-moz-outline-style:none;}	/* remove standard dotted border for links when clicked (FF) */
#ddnav div {
	display:none;
	position:absolute;
	width:9em;
	background-color:#000;			/* bug solution, do not change ! */
	border:1px solid #5970B2;		/* border color for dropdown menus */
	opacity:0.9;				/* transparancy of the dropdown menus (FF) */
	filter:alpha(opacity=90);		/* transparancy of the dropdown menus (IE) */
}
#ddnav div a {
	display:block;
	padding:5px 10px;			/* play with dimensions of block element in dropdown menus */
	position:relative;
	font:normal 8pt arial;			/* font properties for text in dropdown menus */
	text-align:left;			/* aligning of text in dropdown menus */
	cursor:pointer;
}
#ddnav div a:hover, #ddnav span a:hover {color:#000 !important;}	/* text color on mouseover */
#ddnav span div {
	position:relative;
	border:none;
	border-bottom:2px groove #5970B2;	/* separator for submenus, groove does not work in FF */
	opacity:1.0;				/* avoid stacking transparancy for submenus (FF) */
	filter:alpha(opacity=100);		/* avoid stacking transparancy for submenus (IE) */
}

/* may want to upload the following pictures to a new location */
.expand {background: url('https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2008/e/ef/Icon-expand.png') no-repeat 95% 50%;}
.collapse {background: url('https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2008/c/cd/Icon-collapse.png') no-repeat 95% 50%;}

.docked {background: #99ccff url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2008/6/62/Ddnavundock.png") no-repeat 50% 50%;}
.undocked {background: #99ccff url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2008/e/e4/Ddnavdock.png") no-repeat 50% 50%;}
</style>

<!-- IMPORTANT: save following script under a personalized webspace or download the library at www.jquery.com -->
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://student.kuleuven.be/~s0173901/wiki/js/jquery.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
	function ddnav() {
		$('#ddnav ul li').hover(
			function () {
				$(this).find('div:first').css('display','block');},
			function () {
				$(this).find('div:first').css('display','none');}
		);
	}
			
	function ddnavsub() {
		$('#ddnav span > a').toggle(
			function () {
				$(this).removeClass("#ddnav expand").addClass("#ddnav collapse");
				$(this).parent().find('div:first').slideDown('fast');
				$(this).hover(
					function (){$(this).css('background-color','#99AAFF');},
					function (){$(this).css('background-color','#99AAFF');});},
			function () {
				$(this).removeClass("#ddnav collapse").addClass("#ddnav expand");
				$(this).parent().find('div:first').css('display','none');
				$(this).hover(
					function (){$(this).css('background-color','#99CCFF');},
					function (){$(this).css('background-color','#075A90');});}
		).addClass("#ddnav expand");
	}
	
	/* If you wish to omit the docking feature, remove following function ddtoggle() */	
	function ddtoggle() {
		$('#ddtoggle').toggle(
			function () {
				$(this).removeClass('undocked').addClass('docked');
				$('#ddnav').css('position','fixed');},
			function () {
				$(this).removeClass('docked').addClass('undocked');
				$('#ddnav').css('position','static');}
		);
	}

	function ddalign() {
		var _windowWidth = $(window).width();
		var _leftOffset = (_windowWidth - 965)/2;

		$('div#ddnav').css('left',_leftOffset);
	}
			
	function ddmsie() {
		$('#ddnav a').hover(
			function () {$(this).css('background-color','#99ccff');},
			function () {$(this).css('background-color','#075a90');}
		);
				
		/* toggle doesn't work yet */
		$('#ddtoggle').css('display','none');
				
		$('#ddnav ul').css('display','inline-block');
		$('#ddnav ul li').css('display','inline');
		$('#ddnav ul li').css('position','relative');
		$('#ddnav ul li>a').css('display','inline-block');
		$('#ddnav ul li>a').css('margin-right','-4px');
				
		$('#ddnav div').css('left','0');
		$('#ddnav div').css('top','100%');
		$('#ddnav span div').css('top','0');
	}
			
	function ddmozilla() {
		ddtoggle();
		$(window).bind('resize', function() {ddalign();});
	}

	$(function () {
		ddnav();
		ddnavsub();

		if(jQuery.browser.msie) ddmsie();
		if(jQuery.browser.mozilla) ddmozilla();

		$('#ddnav').css('visibility','visible');
	});
</script>

<!-- If you wish to omit the docking feature omit following line (div with id ddtoggle) -->
<div id="ddtoggle" class="undocked"></div>
<div id="ddwrapper">
<!-- Here the actual links are defined, simply replace with your own links in the appropriate sections -->
<div id="ddnav" align="center">
<ul>
	<li>
		<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven">Home</a>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>The Team</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Team/LabsandGroups">Research Labs and Groups</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Team/Students">Students</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Team/Instructors">Instructors</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Team/Advisors">Advisors</a>
                        <a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Team/Pictures">Pictures</a>
		</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>The Project</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project">Summary</a>
			<span>
				<a>Components</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Input">Input</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Output">Output</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Filter">Filter</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Inverter">Invertimer</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Reset">Reset</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/CellDeath">Cell Death</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Project/Memory">Memory</a>
				</div>
			</span>
                        <a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Evaluation">End Evaluation</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Literature">Literature</a>
                        <a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Brainstorm">Brainstorm</a>
		</div>
	</li>
        <li>
		<a>Ethics</a>
		<div>

		</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>Submitted Parts</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Parts">Listing</a>
			<a href="http://partsregistry.org/cgi/partsdb/pgroup.cgi?pgroup=iGEM2008&group=KULeuven">Sandbox</a>
		</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>Modeling</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Overview">Overview</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/KineticConstants">Kinetic Constants</a>
			<span>
				<a>Components</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Output">Output</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Filter">Filter</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Inverter">Invertimer</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Reset">Reset</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/CellDeath">Cell Death</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Memory">Memory</a>
				</div>
			</span>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/FullModel">Full Model</a>
                        <a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Sensitivity">Sensitivity Analysis</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/MultiCell">Multi-cell Model</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Model/Diffusion">Diffusion</a>
		</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>Data Analysis</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Overview">Overview</a>
			<span>
				<a>New Parts</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/GFP">GFP (LVA-tag)</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/T7">T7 (UmuD-tag)</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Antisense">Antisense LuxI</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/ccdB">Celldeath (ccdB)</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/HybridProm">Hybrid Promotor</a>
				</div>
			</span>
                        <span>
				<a>Components</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Input">Input</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Output">Output</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Filter">Filter</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Inverter">Invertimer</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Reset">Reset</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/CellDeath">Cell Death</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/Memory">Memory</a>
				</div>
			</span>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Data/FullModel">Full Model</a>
		</div>
	</li>
        <li>
		<a>Software</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Software/MultiCell">Multi-cell Toolbox</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Software/Simbiology2LaTeX">Simbiology2LaTeX Toolbox</a>
		</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<a>Notebook</a>
		<div>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Meeting_Calendar">Calendar</a>
                        <a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/SummerHolidays">Summer Holidays</a>
			<span>
				<a>Reports</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Meeting Reports">Daily</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Weekly Meetings">Weekly</a>
				</div>
			</span>
			<span>
				<a>Lab Data</a>
				<div>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Freezer">Freezer</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Primers">Primers</a>
					<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Ligation">Ligation</a>
				</div>
			</span>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Tools">Tools</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Press">Press</a>
			<a href="https://2008.igem.org/Team:KULeuven/Guestbook">Guestbook</a>
                        
		</div>
	</li>
        
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</html>

After reading DNA, let’s write DNA!

Since the discovery of the double helix in 1953, things have changed quickly in biosciences. The latest challenge is synthetic biology, in which new biological systems are built from standard, interchangeable parts. After 50 years of reading DNA, we can write it ourselves! Microbial landmine detectors, photographic bacteria, antimalarial drug producers,... Possibilities seem endless.

In the front line of the new biosciences buzz is the international Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM). Since 2004, the prominent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US organizes the iGEM competition for multidisciplinary teams of students. What started as a small extracurricular MIT course, has now grown into an international competition with more than 80 teams from all over the world. During the summer holiday, the teams build a "new genetic machine" in their home university, both with computer simulations and in the real lab. In November, all teams present their project at the 2-day jamboree at the MIT in Boston.

iGEM - Synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is a new challenge in biosciences. It combines biology and engineering principles to design and build new biological functions and systems. Examples are abound: cancer cell invading bacteria(1), microbes that take pictures(2), antimalarial drug producers(3),... The advantage of using living systems for these purposes is that, once they are designed and built, they are self-reproducible. The challenge, however lies exactly within the design and construction: making biological circuits and devices as robust and predictive as their electrical counterparts. Creating foundation technologies for engineering biology is the major goal of one of the founders of the iGEM competition, Drew Endy (who made a great comic on synthetic biology !)

Indeed, although synthetic biology may sound as old wine in new bottles, it is clearly different from the genetic engineering we know so far. Whereas recombinant DNA technology is applied ad hoc and hardly ever predictable, synthetic biology builds on standardization and abstraction. You first design what you want to make, you test it to see if it will do what you want it to do, and then you build it, for instance with standardized BioBricks. The underlying goal of synthetic biology is to make it easier to engineer biology. And since biology is that complex, the only way to see if biological systems can be truly engineered, is to try it out. Hence the iGEM competion!

iGEM - Competition

The international Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM) or iGEM competition is a synthetic biology competition for multidisciplinary teams of undergraduate students. It was first organized in 2004 by Drew Endy, Randy Rettberg and Tom Knight of MIT with two goals in mind: to yield new ideas in synthetic biology and to form the future researchers in this new scientific community. Whereas 5 US teams competed in 2004, the 2007 edition already had 750 students and advisors grouped in 54 teams from 19 countries. This year, the competition already counts 83 teams!

The core of the iGEM competition is to design and build a “new genetic machine” with BioBricks. BioBricks are standardized, off the shelf biological parts that are used by genetic network designers. All BioBricks that were made during previous iGEM competitions are registered and documented in the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. Each iGEM competition thus starts from the efforts of the previous years.

The main iGEM activity happens during the summer holidays, when all teams build their "new genetic machine" in their home university. These new biological systems are first carefully designed with computer simulations. Then they are built in the real lab by using existing BioBricks and creating new ones. During the 2-day jamboree at the MIT in Boston on November 8th and 9th, all teams present and defend their project for a variety of awards.

During the competition, every team documents their project in a wiki, as another goal of iGEM is to promote the sharing of information and know-how in an "open source biology". Likewise, the newly created BioBricks are documented and sent to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts a few weeks before the jamboree.


footnotes:

1. Anderson et al. (2006) Environmentally controlled invasion of cancer cells by engineered bacteria. J Mol Biol. 355:619-627

2. Levskaya et al. (2005) Synthetic biology: engineering Escherichia coli to see light. Nature 438:441-442

3. Martin et al. (2003) Engineering a mevalonate pathway in Escherichia coli for production of terpenoids. Nat Biotechnol 21:796-802